Mark of a gutsy victory
AUSTRALIA came from 34-13 down to beat Wales 39-34 in an extraordinary Autumn Nations Series Test at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.
Two tries by Australia’s 22-year-old wing and man of the match Mark Nawaqanitawase sparked the comeback that ended a three-match losing run.
The heartbreaking loss for the hosts could be a body blow to coach Wayne Pivac, who ends the year with just three wins in 12 matches including a first-ever defeat by Georgia the previous weekend. “We talked after last week we wanted more physicality and we wanted to go out there and express ourselves,” Pivac said. “I thought for large parts we did that, we just weren’t able to bring it home.”
Nawaqanitawase said there was never a moment the Wallabies felt they were down and out.
“Us boys had a lot of belief,” he said. “Obviously there were a few things in the first half like discipline and a few of our carries that let us down. But we showed enough character and courage to come back.”
It was the hosts who settled their nerves as they raced into a 17-6 lead inside 23 minutes with two wellworked tries.
Alun Wyn Jones showed there is Test life left in the old legs as the 37-year-old lock produced a delightful offload to Jac Morgan, who ran over to touch down. Gareth Anscombe converted for 7-3.
The Welsh extended their lead through veteran flanker Taulupe Faletau, with Anscombe converting from the touchline and then adding another penalty for the hosts to lead 20-6 shortly before the half-hour mark.
Nawaqanitawase then stepped up, breaking through the Welsh defence in a move that faltered with a knock-on. Nevertheless this new-found confidence prefaced a Folau Fainga’a try that was converted by Ben Donaldson.
Yellow cards to Jake Gordon and Tom Robertson came before Morgan scored a second try and Anscombe added the extras for 27-13, which soon went to 34-13 when Rio Dyer went over in the corner and Anscombe again converted.
Nawaqanitawase sparked the fightback when he went over in the corner. A yellow card to Welsh captain Justin Tipuric prefaced a second Nawaqanitawase try, with the conversion making it 34-25.
A converted penalty try to the Wallabies took the scoreline to 34-32 and their joy was unconfined when, with Nawaqanitawase again to the fore in the attack, Lachlan Lonergan went over and Noah Lolesio added the conversion to complete the comeback.